

T MEADE 
3enCol1 

H. 

f r \i mr*. 


YOUNG 


HAPPY 

ROOSTER 























































THE 

YOUNG 

and 

HAPPY 

ROOSTER 

STORY 

and 

PICTURES 

BY 1 



CHICAGO 

1934 













CONTENTS 



PAGE • 7 

BEWARE THE HAWK 

PAGE 20 

BUSTER 

PAGE 28 

CUDDIE 

PAGE 52 

DUKE MEETS A LADY 

PAGE 44 

LEARNING TO SWIM 

PAGE 52 

MANY ARE CALLED 

PAGE 60 

THE LITTLE PLANT 



































BEWARE THE HAWK 



Mother Hen had seven 
tiny chicks , and the live- 
lie s+ of all was Youncj 
Roos+er. He seemed a wee 
downy fluff of wool , as 
did all of his brothers 



rs . 

How hunqry they 
were ! Mother Hen busily 
scratch- scratched amoncj 


7 
















chicks looked like fat little 
pincushions 
stuck full 
of pinfeathers cBBG 

And I feel like one , 




foo ! " said Young Roosfer . 
One thing only grieved 

him . 

" I have a bonny red 
comb,"he chirped," and 
strong yellow legs, to say 



nothing of my voice C I 
tried it out when no one 
else was nearD. But Oh ! 
My fail ! " 

















indeed ! Every 
single one 
brofhers 
had fine 
or fhree 



a+ leasf, and he had only 
one . 

Come! Do nof be sad, 
Younq Roosfer,~ cheered 
Mo+her Hen /'There ! You 
missed a splendid biq buq 



while you were nof wafch- 
inq. Perhaps, if you are all 
very qood chicks , I will 
fake you on a picnic. 


10 







maybe even +o the brook f 
Please ! 

Please! May we ^ *S 

sfarf now ? " 

chirped all seven chicks . 



I know I will find fhe 
biqqesf buqs/ said Younq 
Rooster. 

Whaf a clatter and 
commo+ion the small chicks 
made, un+il fheir mo+her 



At lasf they were +o 
see for fhemselves how 
biq fhe world could be ! 


11 









Af+er Youncj Roos+er 


had +id ied 



each 
pirrfea+her , 


and combed his one tail 



fea+her, he shined his beak 
on a pebble . 

Soon fhey were all 
ready +o qo. Then Mo+her 
Hen called every chick 



+o her, and poin+inq her 
winq fo +he sky , warned 
+hem , ' Beware of Red-Tail 
fhe hawk! S+ay close 

12 






beside me , for if he 



Mo+her Hen led fhe 
way. The picnic had becjun . 


Down fhe cjarden pafh, 
fhe old pear free , 
fhe qreen meadow , 



marched Mofher Hen and 
her brood . In fhe cjrass 
somefhincj sparkled . 

' I see fhe brook ! 


13 














cried Younq Roos+er . 

Flap 
wenf 

______ his winqs 

and away he darfed. 




"Gome back/"called 
Mo+her Hen. "Oh, do come 
back ! 


For a bicj black shad- 
ow swooped down upon 



Younq Roos+er ... and sharp 
hooked claws reached for 
him . 

If was Red-Tail fhe Hawk! 


14 





"Run’/'cried Mofher Hen. 
Come 
wifh 
us /' 


called fhe rest, safe benea+h 





fheir mother’s winq 
Did Red-Tail 
Younq Roos+er T 
Yes ! 


have 


He’d leaped in fime ! 
In place of Younq 
Roosfer, Red-Tail qrasped 
Younq Roosfer’s fail , or 


15 




what there 



was of if , 
and 

if 

slipped 

claws ! 



Scurry ! 

Scamper ! 

Away ran \buncj Rooster 
straiqht to his mother . 

Red -TaiI , in a bad 
temper indeed , flew over 



the hills and into the 

deep dark woods. 

And he hasn't been seen 
since by Mother Hen or 


16 











her chickens. 

"How 
lucky 
you 

were ! cried a 11 



of fhe 



animals when Mofher Hen 
fold fhem lafer. 

How lucky you were. 
Mofher Hen, fnaf you did 
nof lose your fine younq 
son." 



"How 
have had 
feafher, 
Roosfer. 


lucky I am fo 
only one fail 
added Youncj 










And I + hink i+’s 
qui+e becominq /' whispered 
Busier, + he puppy, who 
had a shorf + a i I him¬ 
self . 















































BUSTER 



" Rubbers^are qood lo 
chew, bul hard lo find," 
said Busier lo himself . 

If I do spy Ihem now, 
Ihey have feel in Ihem , 
and +hey move up and 



down, up J and down , so 
lhal I can only lake small 
nips , and nol bicj biles . 
Then Ihe children laucjh and 


20 




scream and run ! Bui I 
can run faster, and bark, 
too ! 

When Buster first came 
here to live , there was a 
loncj row of rubbers in the 
front hall . 

How pleased he was ! 

He wacjcjed his tail ! 

There were all kinds of 
rubbers . First Buster saw 
warm cjaloshes for storm 
and snow, then Master s 
bicj rubbers , smaller ones 

thaf belonged +o Mistress 
and at the end of them all 
he spied the children’s red 
rubber boots . 

21 




Busier pulled and 
tucjqed at the red rubber 
boo+s . 

They were fall and 
shiny, and around the lop 
was a strap with a bright 
buckle . He dracjqed one of 
the boo+s +o a corner 
and beqan +o chew on the 
strap . 

Buster worked all after¬ 
noon , and just as he had 
chewed the strap in two , 



from school , and snatched 
it away from him ! 

Why, Buster V' they 
cried ."These are our fall 

22 




red boots for wadincj in 
the qutters when it rains! 
You must not chew them 
up, for if you do, how can 
we make bridges and water¬ 
falls ? Come , we’ll find you 
a red rubber ball for your 
very own ! 

Buster’s new rubber 
ball had stripes on it . 

It bounced hicjh . 

The children laughed to 
see him catch it in his 
mouth . They^played with 



Buster until bedtime . 

But next mornincj 
Buster’s ball would not 
bounce. 


23 






"You bit it too hard , 
Buster," la hed the children 



to school . 


and ran 


Buster was all alone . 
He wandered upstairs. How 
he wished the children 
could be there to play 
with him ! 

But there, under Master s 
bed was a splendid pair 
of slippers ! 

They were very toucjh. 
Buster spent all day on 
them and would have 



chewed them in the evening, 
too, but Master came 
home and spoke to him in 
a very cross voice indeed ! 

24 




Undernea+h Ihe piano 
was a cjood place +o hide. 
Busier ran downstairs , 
and the children rushed 
+o see whal COULD have 
happened . 

When Mas+er came +o 
look for him, Busier came 
ou+ , and sal up on his 
hind leqs and hunq his 
head over his paws. Mas+er 
chuckled and +he children 
laucjhed, and Busier barked 
and wacjcjed his tail . 

"Well, Busier, sicjhed 
Mas+er.'I see we musl pul 
all our rubbers, shoes, and 
slippers away in close+s . 




And if you musf chew 
shoes , find some old ones 
down fhe alley ! 

Early nexf mornincj, 
Busfer froffed down fhe 
alley fo fhe ash-can. There 
he found a fine old shoe . 

'Til fake if fo fhe 
fronf yard, so fhaf I can 
wafch for fhe children when 
fhey come home from 
school / said Busfer fo 
himself . 

"And if Cuddie , fhe 
kiffen, comes by. I'll chase 
her up a free ! 



26 





Shall 

shall 


I run, or 
I s+ay ? 


27 






























CUDDIE 



How soft and how 
cjen+le was +he small qrey 
kitten. The children called 
her Cuddie and she knew 
her own name , too ! 


Cuddi 



was si 


ilky 


and when""‘Tfie’* children 
s+roked her, she arched 
her back and purred and 
purred. When they 


lied bits 


28 




of paper to a loncj piece 
of strinq and draqqed fhem 
across the floor, Cuddie 
pounced upon fhem , and 
her eyes shone and became 



quife round , indeed 

Amonq fhe daisies in 
the qarden was a doll’s 
playhouse. The children often 
wenf there fo play . C udd i e 
scampered down the path 



ahead of them, and hid 
from them in the tall 


qrass 


Then they called : 


29 




Come , Cuddie ! Why 
where IS Cuddie ? See , 
we’re cjoincj to have a 
party. Cookies with raisins, 
and cream, Cuddie, for our 
tea ! ~ 

But Cuddie was off 
chasincj a butterfly. The old 
pear tree leaned across 
the cjarden wall and the 
branches swayed in the 
breeze . 



30 














































DUKE \ LADY 



Kit+y-cat was in a 
hurry . No+ at all odd , 
to be sure, but Kitty- 
cat was vexed and 
annoyed , too ! 

'O-ho squeaked 



Wee Mouse ,"Kitty-cat 's 
in a bad temper! I wonder 
what can be the matter/' 
"\ know what's the 


32 













ma+lerfiffered Second 
Mouse , and stroked his 
whiskers." Crumbs, the 
sparrow, told me of fhe 
birds’ petition +o the 
mayor. If if is qranted 
and becomes a law, all 
cafs will have +0 wear 
bells around fheir necks.~ 
Kitty-cat climbed 
the back fence . 

Chiffer, c h i 11 e r ! ~ 
screamed fhe sparrows. 

Just you waif. 



We’ll fie a bell on you 
and Mecj and Tabby and 
all of fhe cafs ! " 
"Churr-p - quite riqhf 


33 






agreed +he robin, fluffing 
ou+ his fea+hers . 

"Mee-oow /'sharply re¬ 
plied Kil+y-ca + . 

Swi + ch 


ers sfood 
anqrily indeed 1 
Now if Ki++y-ca+ had 
spenf fhe mornincj sunning 
herself on fhe back 


qone visi + incj down fhe 
alley, noihincj would have 
happened +o fhe doq, 
Duke. 


34 




































But somethinq did 
happen to Duke . And 
that's the story ! 

How those birds 


did jeer at Kitty-cat ! 



At last she could stand 
it no lonqer. She scrambled 
down from the fence , 
fled across the alley 
and up the walk to 
Meq ’s house . 



Why Ki+ty-cat, how 


pale you are!" Meq said. 


"And out of breath, too ! 
Have you had bad news , 

36 




dear? Catkins will fetch 
you a cushion , and I’ll 
make you some catnip 
tea , you poor thincj ! 

Now you must tell 



me all about it , Kitty- 
cat 


And so we leave 
them for a moment , 
whisker to whisker , and 
wander down the alley 



Duke had a bone . 
It was a new bone, and 

37 




Duke meant +o bury if 
safely and promp+ly ! 

He saw Kitfy-caf run 
across fhe alley and 
almosf barked a+ her. 



but fhe bone in his 
moufh reminded him of 
fhe more serious maffer 
fhen af hand . 

Buf now fhe bone 
was buried , and all af 



once fhe world was 
dull . 

Duke saf down +o 
scrafch his ear. 


38 




"I feel so fine foday 
fhaf I’d like a nice caf 

fo chase. O-ho ! 

Kiffy-caf is leavincj. I’ll 
hide here, and if she 



"Good-bye, Meq and 
Cafkins / mewed Ki + fy- 
caf Tabby lives in fhe 
corner house and she 



I’ll see if she has heard 
anyfhinq more / 

And down fhe walk 

39 





ran 

Kitty-caf 

, and 

pasf 

the 

shed w 

here 

Du ke 

was 

hiding . 



- 

A- woof ! ~ 

cried 

Duke 



cjayly. I’m chasincj you, 
Ritty-cat ," and bounded 
after her. Of course 
she would run ! 

Now this, on top 



news 


was more than Kitty-cat 
could bear . 

Up arched her back, 
and before fhe amazed 

40 











Wi+h tail wavincj 
proudly on hicjh , Ki + + y- 
c a + walked serenely 
down +he middle of fhe 
alley . 


42 















+o ear ? 
i Roos+er. 




Is i+ cjood i 
asked Youna 










































LEARNING TO SWIM 



" Webbed feet " chirped 
Younq Rooster to Brother 
Duck , ' look queer to me . 
I’ve seen the children wear 
mittens on their hands , 
but it seems YOU wear 
mittens on your feet ! 

Quack, quack , said 
Brother Duck, and looked 
at his feet.'' Now that you 
mention it, Younq Rooster, 


MY feet do not look like 
YOUR feet. Maybe there 


44 




is a reason. Lets ask 
Mother. " 

Off fhey ran to find 
Mother Duck. 

Mother Duck and 
Sister Duck were watching 
Ihe children make a cjarden. 
As each small spadeful 
of earth was turned up , 
the ducks ate the bucjs and 
worms that tumbled out . 

"Well, Brother Duck/" 
said his mother," Sister and 
I have been havincj a fine 



meal here. Where have you 
and \bunq Rooster been ? I 
called you a bncj time acjo !'' 
"I’m sorry. Mother/' 

45 





quacked Brother Duck . 

"Younq Rooster 
and I have 
% just found out 
\ the queerest 
thinq ! His feet 
are different from mine ! ~ 
"Of course /'quacked 
Mother Duck ."And now I 
suppose you wonder why , 
and want ME to tell you \" 
Her eyes twinkled . 

" But I think I will wait 
until tomorrow, and if \bunq 
Rooster can come with us 
then, you’ll both find out \" 
"Hooray /chirped Younq 
Rooster and Brother Duck 
quacked : " Hooray! Hooray V 
" But where are we qoinq, 
Mother ? "asked Sister Duck . 

46 





To fhe lake replied 
Mother Duck . 

Early next 
afternoon, Mo+her 
Duck, Brother 
and Sister Duck, 
and Nbuncj Roosler started out. 
How excited they were ! 

" There’s the brook !~ 
cried Younq Rooster. 

"Yes/ quacked Mother 
Duck. "We shall follow if , 
for it flows into the lake/' 
They followed the brook 
throuqh the meadow. 

At last- they came to 
the lake . 

"Now, Younq Roosfer/' 
quacked Mother Duck you 
will see how very useful 
our webbed feet can be ! 

47 






But first you must promise 


me to 
stay 
fely on 



+he bank, for 
' you are not a 

swimmer, and we ducks are!" 

"I promisechirped \bunq 
Rooster." I’ll watch from here. 

" Watch me very closely, 
Brother and Sister, continued 
Mother Duck , and you will 
learn to swim ! ~ 

' When you slide info the 
water, paddle your webbed 

feet.that is what they 

are for, my dears . Now 
follow me/and Mother Duck 
slid into the wafer . 

"I’m cominq '' quacked 
Sister Duck . 


46 






Come here, Brother 
Duck , 
called 
Younq 
Rooster. 

"What is this 

odd-lookinq +hincj here ? 
It’s bumpy and round and 

qreen. 1+ looks almost like 
a stone , but it micjht be 
cjood to eat . 

"If its cpod to eat. I’m 

hunqry , too ! " cried Brother 
Duck , runninq over to Nbunq 
Rooster." Let s have a nip 
and see what it is," and 
he nipped it. 

"Have a nip and see 
what it is , indeed ! " fumed 
the now wide-awake Froq- 
qie as he dived into the 


49 










wafer. 

He had been dozincj in 
the sunshine on the bank , 
and had not heard the 
ducks and Younq Rooster 
when they came . 

"Creak-croak-creak . 
1+ is I , that s who it is ! 
I may look like a stone 
to you , but I feel like 
some+hincj else to myself l 
Creak-croak-creak . Chucj- 
a-rum ! " 



50 







. 






















Good 

mornina 


! 


51 





























































MANY ARE CALLED 



Come, k i++y , ki+fy'/" 
Chick, chick, chick'/ 
" He-ah , Bus+er ! ~ 
Here, Duke ! 
Mee^oow " and Ki++y-ca+ 



awoke from a deep nap 
under fhe lilac bush / May¬ 
be we are +o have shrimp 
for lunch !" 


52 








She bounded to Jffer 
feet , 

and was off 
like a 

shof f o f he house . 




Cluck, cluck . Quick, 
children , or fhe ducks 
will cjef fhere first!” 
said Mother Hen, as she 
hurried her chicks, with 
Mother Duck and the 



ducklets close 

"They’re calling me!” 
said Buster cockinq his 
ear. "Could they have 


53 








found that other slipper 
I chewed, 
and fhen hid ? 

Oh, I 

think it’s 


" Odd that 
want me /'thought Duke . 

Still , Cook micjht have 
a bone for me—~and he 
too trotted up the path 
to the house. 


But' when they arrived 
at the house the one 
who had called them was 
not to be seen . 


54 




Ki++y-ca + l ooked a + 
Mo+her Duck 
Mo+her 

looked^ a + Duke . 

T" 




Uj^ .. 

Duke looked a+ Mo+her 

Hen. 



Mo+her Hen cocked 
her head on one side 
and looked a+ Bus+er. 
Bus+er looked a+ You 


qazed all around . 

"Now who could have 


55 











called usT'Youncj Roosfer 

was 
puzzled. 
"I do 

believe if came from 




fhe porch of fne House- 
Nexf-Door ." 

"Who ever heard a 
porch call anyone,~ said 
Busfer , and chuckled fo 
himself . 



Sic ’em. Busier !" 
called a voice from fhe 
porch . 

"Why if was fhe porch 


56 




callinq me T qasped Bus+er. 

'Pore h ! 

Dorch ! 
i i s s e d 

<i + + k y-ca+ . " l + ’s^Miss 




Nancy’s two parrots on 
+ he porch , fha + ’s who 
if is ! 7 

If fhey lived af 
my house. I’d pull ouf 
fheir fail fe.a + hers ! 

Dinq^^fonq bell , 
'Pussie’s in fhe well/ 
sanq +he two parro+s. 
'Awk . Who put ouf fhe 

57 

















58 


liqh+s ? ~ 

"I did laughed Miss 
Nancy, as she pu+ a 
dark clo+h over +he caqe. 
Now you'll be quiel ! ~ 
























It DID bloom 

did’nt it 1 " 








































































THE LITTLE PLANT 



ad a tiny 


plant in a flower pot. 

Every mornincj she 
sprinkled it , with a small 
watering can , and later 
set it in the warm sun- 



Buf as yet if had 
no blossoms . 


Chirp, chirp,~ said 


60 




Younq Roosfer / When will 
il bloom ? All if has is 
leaves - no flowers a+ all T 
"Sh," purred Cuddie. 
"1+ has fo qrow. Don’f 
be so impa + ienf , Younq 
Roos+er! 

And so fhey waifed 
for fhe small planf fo 
qrow. 

Af lasf, a liny bunch 
of buds pushed up amonq 
fhe qreen leaves . 

"O-oh !" said Baby . 




If s qoinq fo bloom 
I can hardly waif fo 
fhe preffy flowers l" 

Quack, quack / said 


see 




Mother Duck ," I hope 
they’ll be a nice bright 
color. I prefer scarlet ! 

'Takes even lonqer 
to qrow flowers than it 
does tail feafhers , ~ 
mumbled Younq Rooster 
to himself. 

Then, early one morn- 
in q , the small plant 
blossomed . 


" See the pretty red 
flowers !" crowed Younq 
Rooster at t he top of 



"Run and tell Baby, 
Cuddie. I’ll call the othersT 
" Hurry ,~urqed Mother 


62 







Duck. 

Come quickly wi+h 
me / mewed Cuddie . 

O ! "cried Baby ," i+’s 
bea-u-+iful !" 

Why, i+’s qrown-up 
’And so do we qrow 
up,"clucked Mo+her Hen. 
And so do we all . 



63 




















































































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